ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 opening games results & news diary 1st edition

Well with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 now in full swing across England and Wales, and the majority of participating nations having played their first match, some two, Expat Sport does a rapid round up of results and news so far. The 10 teams involved play each other once in the competition to determine the semi-finalists

That said within these roundups, there are some potentially pivotal games worthy of a closer look, and we will drill down a little further into the detail on those.

Thursday 30th May 2019

England beat South Africa by 104 runs in the opening match of the tournament on Thursday 30th May at the Oval, in London. The hosts set a relatively modest total, by present day ODI standards, of 311 in their 50 overs. The runs were spread across a number of the usual batting expects: Stokes 89, Morgan 57, Roy 54 and Root 51 being the major contributors, pacer Lungi Ngidi with 3 for 66 was the pick of Proteas’ bowlers. 

South Africa to bat, enter England’s Jofra Archer regularly bowling in excess of 145kph. Playing in only his fourth one-day international Archer took 3 for 27 as well as managing a direct hit on Hashim Amla’s helmet which hurt the batsman forcing him into a temporary retirement from the field.

Quinton de Kock’s 68 had South Africa in with chance with the score at 129-2, but an ill-judged pull off Liam Plunkett to long leg put paid to the big innings as he became the first casualty of 3 wickets to fall for 15 runs. Then Ben Stokes took a stunningly acrobatic boundary catch followed by two wickets in two balls and The Proteas were gone for 207 in 39.5 overs. De Kock 68 and Van der Dussen 50 top scoring.  The tournament favourites and number one in the ICC rankings had their ideal start in the competition.

Friday 31st May 2019

West Indies walloped Pakistan in the second match of the tournament at Trent Bridge, producing a ferocious bowling display to overcome The Men in Green by seven wickets and begin their World Cup campaign with an assertive victory.

All 10 wickets falling to seam as the West Indies bowlers dished out one fast and furious spell after another in front of a vociferous mostly partisan Pakistan crowd in Nottingham. Oshane Thomas took 4 for 27, captain Jason Holder 3 for 42 and Andre Russell a brilliant 2 for 4 in three overs, permitting only two of Pakistan’s normally prolific batsmen to get past 20.

Pakistan bowled out by the two-time World Cup champion Windies for a paltry 105, their second lowest total in World Cup history, in 21.4 overs.

Then up steps Chris Gayle to smash 50 from 34 balls including 6 sixes to give the West Indies’ run chase a turbo-charged start and seal the win in 13.4 overs, despite Mohammad Amir’s excellent 3 wickets for 26, as Nicholas Pooran launched a massive six by way of a grand finale. West Indies 108 for 3 in 13.4 overs

An out of the blocks West Indies bowling performance that only serves to reinforce their candidacy for the trophy.

Saturday 1st June 2019 Game 1

New Zealand dominated a brittle Sri Lanka side beating them by 10 wickets to open their World Cup with a superb bowling display in Cardiff in Wales. 

Having been put in to bat, Sri Lanka imploded to 136 all out in just 29.2 overs. Fundamentally, the consistent pace and accuracy of New Zealand fast bowlers Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson on a green surface simply dismantled The Lions batting order with alarming precision, eventually taking three wickets apiece. Kane Williamson’s side were also impressive in the field, and only captain and opener, Dimuth Karunaratne, led from the front to put up any kind of resistance, ending the innings on 52 not out.

The Black Caps openers went about their business in determined fashion. Martin Guptill hit 73 not out in a knock containing 8 fours and 2 sixes, while Colin Munro’s 58 included 6 fours, as the pair overtook their target in just 16.1 overs. New Zealand 137 for 0 in 16.1 overs

Saturday 1st June 2019 Game 2

World Cup holders Australia began the defence of their title with a routine seven-wicket win over Afghanistan, care of a captain’s innings of 66 off 49 balls from Aaron Finch, followed by David Warner steering his team to victory with an unbeaten 89 and 91 balls to spare. 

Afghanistan, winners of last year’s qualifier, were encouraged throughout by an enthusiastic and colourful show of support spread around the Bristol County Ground with many neutrals siding with them as underdogs.

However any hopes of an upset Afghanistan might have harboured, were soon dashed by a relatively muted display with the bat as a precursor to some lackadaisical fielding and erratic bowling. 

Despite Rahmat Shah’s 6 fours in his 43 off 60 balls, and a scintillating demonstration of stroke play from Najibullah Zadran who impressed most onlookers for his 51, adding 83 for the sixth wicket with Gulbadin (31) , the Baggy Greens’ Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa took over with three wickets each. And, Afghanistan were bowled out for just 207 in 38.2 overs. Australia 209 for 3 in 34.5 overs won by 7 wickets

Sunday 2nd June 2019

Bangladesh turned South Africa over at the Oval with a finely tuned 21-run victory kick-start their World Cup campaign.

Bangladesh ended their 50 overs on 330 for 6 their highest total in a one-day game with Mushfiqur Rahim on 78 and Shakib Al Hasan 75 in superb form putting on 142 for the 3rd wicket, ably supported by Soumiya 42 and Mahmudullah 46 not out in front of a large contingent of wildly cheering supporters in the crowd. That said South Africa did not help their cause as they were undoubtedly sloppy in the field.

Losing crucial wickets to lapses in concentration as well as errors, they rarely threatened to achieve what would have been their highest World Cup run chase ever.

Usually classy opener Quinton de Kock was downed by a shambolic run-out in the early stage of the Proteas innings. Then after regaining some ground, captain Faf du Plessis was bowled for 62 and the ever dangerous Rassie van der Dussen’s stumps were scattered by Saifuddin for 41 in the 40th over. Then with three overs remaining, JP Duminy still at the crease and 44 needed, South Africa still had a vestige of a chance, only to see him play on off the bowling of Mustafizur Rahman and start the long walk back to dressing room for 45. 

The second defeat for South Africa on 309 for 8, losing by 21 runs following their first-game defeat against England with undoubted trouble ahead.